Kerry E. Hannon

Finding a job when you’re over 50 is a lot like finding a job when you’re under 50. You need to tailor your resume and cover letter to the organization and the position, network to gather information and spot any inside tracks to the jobs you want, look and feel your best during job interviews and other meet-and-greets, and hone your negotiating skills so you get more of what you want.

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. To get the job you want after 50, you need to be fully prepared for the interview. When asked about salary in an interview, the best response is to say that although the position is not precisely the same as your last job, you would need to understand your duties and responsibilities in order to establish a fair salary for the job.

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. One way to conduct your job search after 50 is to focus on the hottest job markets — industries that have reported rising numbers of vacancies or have projected an increasing need for employees. Here, you find five sizzling sectors to consider. Healthcare The aging population and longer life expectancies are spurring a wide range of healthcare-related jobs.

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. If you want to get a job after 50, you need to do some real networking. Networking is one letter away from “not working.” Engage in a full-court press to let everyone in your personal and professional network know that you’re looking for a job. Here’s a checklist to make sure you’ve left no stone unturned: Contact everyone you know via phone, email, social networks (Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter), U.

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. Although getting a call from a recruiter after age 50 is flattering, arrangements can get complicated. A good recruiter gives you the inside track on great jobs — ones that may never have hit your radar. If you get the gig, the recruiter earns a fee, paid by the employer, for playing matchmaker.

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. Making a career change after 50 can seem daunting. A police officer turned music agent. A Navy captain who became a circus manager. A botanist who traded plants for making chocolate. Those are a few of the major career changes among boomers and retirees. What do they have in common?

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. Interviewing after 50 is scary, but being armed with the right knowledge is the best way to get a job offer. One way to ace an interview is to give the interviewers what they want, which may be difficult to determine based solely on the questions they ask. Even when you’re answering irrelevant questions, interviewers can pick up on the traits they like to see in a job candidate.

Once you get that job you are seeking after 50, you need to negotiate the terms. Negotiations are best when both parties work toward an arrangement that’s mutually beneficial. Don’t approach negotiations with a hiring manager as an adversarial relationship. Follow these suggestions instead: Wait. Let the hiring manager offer you an amount, and then take a day or two to consider.

Copyright © 2015 AARP. All rights reserved. If you want to get a job after 50, you need to know what job skills you bring to the table. Job seekers often don’t know what they know or what skills they already have until they sit down and write a list. Make your own list, which will come in handy when revamping your résumé, filling out job applications, and preparing for interviews.